The Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters will hold its first hearing today in Melbourne on Australian Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John’s proposal to lower the voting age to 16 and increase democratic participation.

Today’s committee hearing in Melbourne will not be quorate, as the Government has not sent any of its members, meeting instead as a sub-committee.

The election of Scott Morrison as Liberal Leader won’t solve the infighting and self-interest that has paralysed Australian politics for a decade said Leader of the Australian Greens Dr Richard Di Natale.

"Once again, a Prime Minister has been turfed out not by the voters, but by a handful of faceless men. Whether it’s the Labor Party or the Liberals, people have had a gutful, and are right to be angry" Di Natale said.

Australian Greens Youth spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John said today he was looking forward to the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters scrutinising his bill to lower the voting age to 16, saying it was an historic opportunity for this important democratic reform to pass with bipartisan support.

Australian Greens Youth spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has delivered his second reading speech on the Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Lower the Voting Age and Improve Democratic Participation) Bill 2018.

Senator Steele-John's speech will kick off debate on the issue of whether 16 and 17 year olds have a right to vote for the first time in Australian history.

The Australian Greens today called upon Labor and the Liberals to back reforms to cap political donations and increase transparency to help restore the public’s faith in our democracy, following the release of a blockbuster report into the influence of these donations in Australia.

Leader of the Australian Greens Dr Richard Di Natale, who served as Chair of the Senate Select Committee into the Political Influence of Donations, said the report threw open a curtain on the sordid underbelly of influence peddling in Canberra.

"It’s time for a new kind of politics," said Queensland Greens Senator Andrew Bartlett in his Maiden Speech yesterday.

"People have asked me how it feels to back in the Senate. I have to say that I find politics as conducted by mainstream politicians, and many in the mainstream media, to be nastier, stupider and with even less effort given by many to even pretend to care about whether their statements are true or not.

“The impact of policies on everyday people is repeatedly ignored, with immediate short-term political factors holding sway.

As Australians, we pride ourselves on enjoying so many freedoms, yet our laws do not adequately reflect, or protect them. Today the Australian Greens Leader, Dr Richard Di Natale and Attorney General Spokesperson, Senator Nick McKim announced their plan to table, debate and vote on Charter of Rights legislation in this term of parliament.

Australia is the only western democracy that does not protect the basic rights and freedoms of its people in either legislation or the constitution, said Senator Di Natale.

Reforming political donations, ending corruption, and giving people a say in how Australian government works.

The Greens are committed to reforms that give people a greater say in how Australian government works. We want proportional representation in all parliaments so that voters’ diversity is better represented. The Greens are campaigning to strengthen the democratic values of our voting system, with the Senate voting reforms a key step that returned preferences back to the voter.

We are working to reform political donations and have Bills in parliament that will reduce the influence of the big end of town. We are also working to strengthen the federal lobbyist code of conduct so we know which industries are trying to influence our politicians. The Greens are committed to separating business interests from politics by introducing a national anti-corruption watchdog. We will continue to work to ensure that those who are marginalised and with little power have their voice heard and can genuinely participate in the political process.